The present invention relates to spraying tips used with a spraying device, for spraying a material, such as paint. In particular, the invention relates to a ceramic flat spray tip which produces a spray pattern of a generally oblong or flat shape, as opposed to a circular shape.
Flat tip nozzles have been used in connection with airless paint spraying equipment as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,045 assigned to the assignee of the present application. As disclosed in that patent, a discharge end of the spray pistol includes a tip nut which is threadingly received on the gun and which engages over a flange of a guard member which in turn has means for engaging a flange of the nozzle tip, thus, the nozzle tip which includes a noncircular orifice can be firmly held on the front of the spray gun to direct a relatively flat spray. The ledge on the outer diameter of the tip nut is generated as a circle which allows complete rotation of the guard member with respect to the tip nut. However, the inner diameter of the guard member which abuts the outer diameter of the nozzle tip has diametrically opposed flats thereon which mate with flats on the nozzle tip. In this manner, the nozzle tip is not rotatable independently of the guard member.
A flat spray tip producing a flat spray pattern, mounted to a spraying device such as a spray gun, is known to the art. A spray tip which produces a flat pattern must be held securely in the holder to prevent undesired axial rotation of the tip, which would change the orientation of an elongated axis of the flat spray pattern.
Ceramic material, providing excellent wear resistance to the erosive property of paint when sprayed, is an ideal material for use in a flat spray tip. A ceramic spray tip which produces a circular spray pattern is known to the art. However, tips which produce circular spray patterns need not be fixed against axial rotation and thus can be guided or closely captured rather than fixed. Securely holding flat spray tips composed of a non-brittle material such as carbide is known to the art. However, securely holding a brittle material such as a ceramic material is not known to the art and therefore the subject of the present invention.
It is therefore new to the art to provide a ceramic flat spray tip for a spraying device, such as a spray gun, which is securely held into a spray nozzle secured to the spray gun.